A private beach, sauna and privacy

There are more than half a million summer cottages in Finland. The Kuopio municipality has the most summer cottages, with more than 10,000 of them. The municipalities with the second-highest number of summer cottages are Mikkeli and Savonlinna in Finnish Lakeland.

All in all, 63 municipalities in Finland had more cottages in 2016 than regular apartments. Such municipalities with a high number of cottages are, among others, Puumala, Ruokolahti, Taipalsaari in Lake Saimaa. The municipality with the highest number of cottages in the water system of Lake Pyhäjärvi and Lake Näsijärvi is Pälkäne. The municipalities with most cottages in the water system of Kymi-river are Mäntyharju, Asikkala and Sysmä. There are more than 3,000 summer cottages in these municipalities, and almost 5,000 in some of them.

The largest company in Finland renting cottages is Lomarengas, with almost 4,000 various rentals around Finland. Half of the cottages are on the shores of bodies of water. The most rentals are in Lapland and Finnish Lakeland. According to Operational Manager, Juha Purhonen, the offering of Lomarengas ranges from woodsman-like cottages to luxury villas. The most popular cottages have electricity, and feature several bedrooms, a nice bathroom and a sauna. A yard and a private beach for swimming are suited to families with children.

Lake Pielinen is the fourth largest lake in Finland.

“Staying in cottages is the most inexpensive manner of lodging in Finland. The median rent prices are approximately €750 per week. It is worth noting in the prices that they include the entire rental of cottages, not per-person prices, with bonuses in the shore locations of a private beach, sauna and privacy.”

The prices of the cottages vary according to the season. In autumn, the median price can be €70 per day, and €120 in the high season.

“The majority of our beach rentals are located in Finnish Lakeland. The most popular lake areas are Päijänne, Saimaa, Näsijärvi, Pielinen, Kallavesi and Inarijärvi in Lapland. The traditional beach cottage is located in a tranquil setting on its own property, with the owners residing nearby.”

Fishing is popular. Many locations in northern Finland are on the shores of rivers which are rich in fish. All destinations located in tourism centres offer the opportunity of renting fishing equipment. Fishing permits are also easily organised.

Lake Puulavesi.

“The owners of lakeshore cottages often live nearby, and can help the customers with equipment rentals, for example in renting a boat with an outboard motor. A rowing boat is almost without exception included in the price, and fishing permits can be bought in advance, online.”

70% of the customers of Lomarengas are Finnish, but the proportion of foreigners is on the rise.

“Vacationing in cottages resides deep in the Finnish mindset, so this form of vacationing is, and will remain, strong in Finland. This is also evident in the amount of bookings, which is increasing every year. In the future, nature values, safety and purity will be strongly emphasised. Finland offers all these features to their cottage vacationers, and they are, in fact, the most important reasons to spend one’s holiday in Finland.”

The Finnish municipalities, in which there were more cottages in 2016 than inhabited apartments

1. Mäntyharju

The population of Mäntyharju is trebled by summer inhabitants

2. Pälkäne

3. Asikkala

Pulkkilanharju, on Lake Päijänne, combines two popular summer cottage municipalities on both sides of the lake, Asikkala and Sysmä.

4.Sysmä

Boats participating in the first Päijänne sailing competition, near Sysmä. It is one of the largest sailing competitions in the European inland waterways. More than 600 sailors participate in it every year.

5. Kangasniemi

Kangasniemi, on the shores of Puulavesi. Canoeing is popular on Puulavesi.

6. Puumala

Waterways constitute up to 36% of the entire area of Puumala.

7. Taipalsaari

The surface area of Taipalsaari, located on the shores of Saimaa is 761.94 km², 417.06 km² of which comprises waterways.

8. Ruokolahti

Ruokolahti is a rural archipelago since there are over 500 lakes and ponds in addition to Lake Saimaa itself.